The Beifong Estate
by Always-Striving
Summary: Because everything seemed a little better with Fire Lord Sparky there. Toko Friendsip.
1. Toph

A/N: I had to get it down, okay? These ideas have been bugging me for months and my sister refuses to have anything to do with them. Sue me. :P

Enjoy!

* * *

She had been ecstatic when he'd arrived.

Not because she's all sentimental and sappy like Katara (babbling out "I missed you" all day long and hugging people all the time has never been her thing), and not because she hasn't seen him in a while either (well, okay, that's part of it. But not much). Just because it got her away from all the fluff and fuss.

"—_Heart Amongst the Elements_ is a literary classic which I'm sure you'll quite enjoy, Lady Toph—"

_Blah, blah, blah, stuff about hearts, blah, blah, blah. Dying of boredom here. Hn, there's a random group of people at the gates carrying something big. Meh, probably some huge crate or something filled with fine china for Mom._

_Hold up, something's off here. Is...someone getting out of the box?_

"—a young warrior's fierce determination to—"

"SPARKY!"

...

"Oomf! Whoa!"

* * *

He'd come to discuss Earth Kingdom trade and alliances with her dad.

She supposed it was only natural, as Fire Lord Hothead, he had to do all that boring, political mumbo-jumbo that her parents were always talking about her learning. Personally though, Toph couldn't give two beetle worms about why he was there; as long as there was someone to keep her company and sane, away from all the prissy fru-fru nonsense that seemed intent on driving her crazy, she didn't care if he'd come to juggle moon peaches.

But, it did make things a little more difficult.

"Grah! Not now, Toph! I've got to—ugh!—talk about copper imports and tariffs with your father!"

"Aw, come on! If you go there'll be no one here to keep the nanny from getting Sugar-Queen-Syndrome!"

_"Sugar-Queen-Syndrome?!"_

"Just stay!"

"Fine! Now—hey!—_get off of me!"_

* * *

He had to listen to boring rants too.

It was a little weird since it was well within his rights for him to go into "I-don't-like-that! Off-with-your-head!" mode now, but Toph supposed it was just some weird Fire Nation tradition for Fire Lords to be educated while they were on the throne. Or at least, Fire Lords who'd been in exile for three years. Whatever the case, everyday from two to six, he had to sit at a desk, take notes on how to make high-up noble families happy and whatnot, and be slowly killed by the sheer uselessness of it and the tutors he'd brought with him. Just like her.

Toph also supposed that it could've been self-righteousness that made him insist on being treated just like any other student. Either that, or he'd gotten used to torturing himself by then.

"Fire Lord, are you listening?"

Unintelligible muttering.

SMACK!

"Wha—oh! What was the question?"

_"Let us begin again, Lord Zuko."_

"...right..."

"A Fire Lord does not use such common slurs!"

"Oh! Um...sorry? Oh, wait...no, that's wrong...uhhh..."

She shrugged, _His funeral._

* * *

Her parents? Even worse.

She understood that they were freaked out, she understood that this meant everything to them, and she understood that it was not a good idea to get in her mother's way while she was in one of her moods. What she _didn't_ understand was why they were making such a big deal out of it. That, and why they had to drag her into it, too. It was just Sparky! If it was up to her, he would've just had a cot, some food, some water, and a couple of fancy clothes tossed at him and be done with it.

But, as usual, nothing was up to her.

"Mom, I keep telling you, it doesn't matter! Just like it hasn't mattered for the past three days!"

"Oh, Toph, sweetheart it _didn't_ matter; it didn't matter because before, he was only the exiled, defected prince. But, he's the Fire Lord now, and now it _does_ matter! Now, should it be the quail or the roast duck with crab puffs? ...oh dear, what if he doesn't like the setting? It should all be in fine bone china. Yes, yes, a much better choice."

"It's Hot Feet Mom, he'll be happy with some sizzle-crisps."

"Toph! We can't give him _sizzle-crisps!_ It's—it's—it's completely undignified!"

"Fine, fine! I'm just gonna go talk to him, then."

...

"...darling, wait."

"What?"

"...what—what are sizzle-crisps...exactly?"

_"Wooow."_

* * *

He hated stiff-nosed formal junk as much as she did.

She had to feel bad for him, she could just brush off whoever tried to talk to her with a grunt and a chunk of dirt. She didn't care what it did to her reputation, she'd always hated these big fancy-shmancy parties anyway. But since he was Fire Lord Princess Sparkles The Reformer, he couldn't afford that. No matter how many stuck-up daughters of Lord Whosamawhatsits batted their eyes at him and giggled behind girly fans like wimps.

Some examples of their stupidity (courtesy of Toph Beifong):

"Ah, well, I've always had a certain _preference_ towards exotic things, would you care to join me, Fire Lord?"

"No, thank you."

-.-.-

"I do love your ensemble tonight Lord Zuko, was it personally tailored for you? This fabric is so _luxurious,_ could I please look at it a bit closer?"

"N- no! Thank you."

-.-.-

"Oh, dear me, Fire Lord, that scar! How in Spirits' name did you get it? How I love courageous men...could I please—"

"DON'T TOUCH IT!"

* * *

Toph snickered, Fire Lord Zuko had not changed.

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated! Especially ones with constructive criticism.


	2. Zuko

Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who faved/alerted/reviewed to this story! I'm so glad for such great feedback from all of you! After such a positive response for the story in the first chapter (7 reviews?! Did I mention how _AMAZING_ you people are? I've never gotten that many in 1 chapter before!), I couldn't resist writing a second, especially after The Groudon requested it.

All of the scenarios below are continued, expanded versions of the ones from the last chapter in Zuko's perspective, with the exception of the last one, anyway. I couldn't find the inspiration to do the same with the ballroom scenario, so I decided to just go with Alitote's suggestion (you'll figure out what it is when you get to it and before I forget, all credit for said idea goes to Alitote his/herself, thanks for helping me out!). Apologies to anyone whose favorite scenario was the ballroom one, BUT...once I think of a way to write it down, I'll personally PM it to anyone who asks. Fair?

So, without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

He'd first been assaulted by a flying tackle.

Of course, Zuko couldn't say that he hadn't been _expecting_ something like that; he'd been expecting it ever since he learned that he'd have to go to Gaoling to get rid of some of the trade problems in the Earth Kingdom. The fact was, only a fool could expect for a nice, normal, conventional welcome from the residence of Toph Beifong—he just hadn't expected it to come so soon.

"We've arrived, Fire Lord. Would you like the palanquin to carry you up to the main house?"

_That's strange, I hear running. Is someone coming towards us?_

"No, it's fine. I can walk up there myself."

"As you wish, Fire Lord."

...

_It's getting louder. Someone __is__ coming towards us! How can the assassins be in the Earth Kingdom? How can they be so spread out?_

_...maybe Sokka's right; maybe I am getting too paranoid._

"...Your Majesty?"

...

"Fire Lord, are you ill, sir?"

...

_But, I can't afford to think like that right now. We need to get everyone out of here—I can't risk other people getting hurt during an attempt on my—_

"Oomf! Whoa!"

"Sparky! I knew it was you!"

_"Get the guards! Someone's attacking the Fire Lord!"_

...

"GET OFF OF ME! ARGH! YOU OVERGROWN, FIRE BREATHING LILY LIVERS ARE SO GONNA GET IT!"

...

_"Mrrrgh._ How can a blind, tiny Earth Kingdom noble girl beat us? _Urgghh_...we're the Fire Lord's personal guards..."

"...she's one scary little blind girl..."

* * *

It seemed she really didn't care if he was Fire Lord.

He knew Toph understood he had a lot of Fire Lord responsibilities now; she often asked him about what kind of "pointless, prissy stuff" he had to do when she was bored. Or at least, Zuko _assumed_ she understood, he couldn't be sure. After all, wouldn't she try to make it a little easier on him if she was aware of just how much he had on his plate? Or, if nothing else, not _bother_ him so much when he had _important decisions to make that impacted an entire country and therefore the entire world?_

Probably not, if pinning him down to the floor meant anything.

"—would you—ack!—get off of me?! I've got important—" Shrrrk! "—stuff to—hey!—talk about with your dad!—_would you stop that?"_

Shrrrk!

"Maw, whatever bore-your-pants-off, noodle-brained talks you've gotta go through can wait. Snoozles and I've been telling you to relax for months now!"

Thu-thud.

"Toph—oh, come on!—you don't get it. Those copper imports are really, really impo—ow!—important! The Fire Nation's been relying on them fo—"

CRASH!

Silence.

_"Oh, no..."_

"AWESOME! Great job, Sparkles! I've been wanting to smash that stupid vase FOREVER! And it fell on you! Pretend you're seeing stuff and reschedule with my dad, then you've got an excuse to not get it done!"

Silence.

"Hey, Zuko? What's wrong?"

Silence.

"Hey, Sparky! What's wrong with you?"

Silence.

"Zu—"

_"This,_ is why I am _never_ happy."

* * *

He hated school.

He hated it. He absolutely loathed it and was convinced that it was yet another example of the spirits' constant taunts via luck that, unfortunately for him, he needed it. He couldn't exactly enforce taxes or make laws without an education, after all. He understood this little fact quite well, better than most would believe him to, as a matter of fact (what, with his uncle's infamous proverbs). But, if Zuko were ever to say that he enjoyed sitting there, drowning hopelessly in utter boredom and near-overwhelming agitation for four hours a day as his tutors droned on and on and on about the _stupidest things..._

He'd be lying.

"Now that that—_predicament_, shall we say—has been dealt with, please turn to page three hundred and forty-eight in _Heart Amongst The Elements_ and recite Lao Xing's monologue, Fire Lord."

"Yes, Master Liang."

...

"—O, my Sacred Ubon, what thoughts must thy heart suffer in that wretched ce—"

Klink! Blop! Thump!

"Argh! My papers! How'd they all fall?"

"...what _is_ that, Fire Lord?"

"Oh, um...this? Not sure. Oh! It's that essay you assigned last week about the history of industrialization in the Fire Nation."

"No, no, with all due respect, sire, that..._drawing."_

"This? Oh...uhh...nothing. Just a...person. That's all..."

"Really? Would it be at all possible for me to see it for a moment?"

"Umm...sure..."

...

"WHY HAVE YOU DRAWN ME AS A BLOATED HOG MONKEY AND LABELED ME AS A 'FAT IDIOT WITH A STICK SHOVED UP HIS—HIS—HIS—'"

"Uh..."

_"Fire Lord!"_

"Um...experimental...art?"

_It's official; I have become Aang._

* * *

He didn't blame Toph for running away.

Zuko hadn't had any idea what to expect from her parents before he'd arrived, but he could safely say that whatever it was, it wasn't what he'd ended up with. It seemed that Lao and Poppy Beifong were just as frivolous, petty, and extravagant as any other nobles in the world—though one wouldn't expect it with a daughter like Toph. He supposed this explained why she'd run away though; she was not a dainty, cultured china doll.

But from what he'd overheard (read: eavesdropped on), that's what her parents wanted her to be.

"MOM! I helped you pick out the food, the drinks, the napkins, _and_ the small talk! _The small talk!_ Can't I just be left out of this now?"

"Oh, but sweetums, don't you want to see the Fire Lord? Goodness, he's quite a _handsome_ fellow, isn't he? Perhaps Toph, perhaps, if you behave just _so,_ we'll be able to have you ma—"

_WHAT? Okay, no. Too weird. Too weird. ME? TOPH? I—_

_"MOM!"_

"Toph, sweetheart, think of it! In just a few years you'll be sixteen years old, it's high time now that we get you betrothed. Need I remind you how, with all that silly, ill-founded wandering you've done with the Avatar there are hardly any men willing to accept you as a bride? And, now we could get you a match with one of the most powerful men in the world! Think of how marvelous that would be!"

Silence.

_This...can't be good._

CRASH! BOOM! CRREEEE! CRREEEEEE!

_"TOPH BEIFONG, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"_

_"STUPID—UNDERSTAND—SPARKY—MARRY—WON'T—LADY—PRISSY—WHY—SCREWED UP—GRAAAGH!"_

* * *

He was still her ostrich horse.

Apparently, it didn't matter if her feet had completely healed months ago; it didn't matter if he'd already apologized for panicking and burning her a thousand times over; it didn't matter if she could walk perfectly well on her own. Zuko was still Toph's ostrich horse, bound for life by what she dictated as "damaged and sensitive skin" (or something of the like). It didn't matter if he had better things to do.

Apparently, she was _just. That. Lazy._

"Onwards, Sparky! Take me outside so I can see some dirt fly!"

THUD. THUD. THUD.

_"Ow!_ Stop—hitting—me—with—that—purse! Why—do—you—even—have—a—purse? _Hey!"_

THUD. THUD. THUD.

"Like it matters! Go!"

THUD. THUD. THUD.

"Stop—it!"

THUD. THUD. THUD. _THUMP._

"What're you doing? You're not supposed to just crumple up and die! Wooow Zuko, some steed _you_ are."

...

"...everything hurts..."

* * *

Zuko groaned. Lady Toph Beifong had not changed.

* * *

I hoped you enjoyed reading! Now for some trivia to either a.) clear up some facts or b.) just for my own amusement (all concerning the 3rd scenario with Zuko's tutors since my muse decided to spew out random tidbits for no reason at all right there. We all get those random moments, right?).

-That "predicament" the "bloated hog monkey"'s talking about would be Zuko falling asleep during some such lecture in the last chapter.

-Where have you heard "Heart Amongst the Elements" before?

-The name "Ubon" means "Lotus" in Thai.

...I guess that the first bullet point shouldn't be a trivia fact, huh?

I hope each and every one of you is having a fantastic new year so far!

Reviews are ALWAYS taken to heart and appreciated. Most particularly ones with a bit (or more) of constructive criticism!


	3. Lao and Poppy

I've been meaning to write this chapter for a while now, so I'm glad I finally got it done!

* * *

The Fire Lord's arrival had been absolutely disastrous.

The Honorable Lord Lao Beifong and his wife, Lady Poppy, had of course been _mortified_ when His Majesty's arrival (which had, of course, been meticulously planned by all members of the household) had ended up as a barbaric free-for-all featuring the following:

-Bruised and moaning Imperial Firebenders, sprawled out all over the front garden

-Wizened old professors from Fire Lord Mao Zhu University shouting, scandalized, _"Is this any way for our divine ruler to conduct himself?!"_

And finally:

-The remaining, upright Imperial Firebenders getting into a _brawl,_ of all things, with their little Toph while Fire Lord Zuko ran about trying to restore order to what should have been a quite civil welcoming.

"Our most humble apologies, Fire Lord. Rest assured, none of this was at all foreseen by any member of our staff. Clearly, our daughter requires a reminder of the sort of decorum in which she was born."

_Thud. "What?_ No way! I told you before, Dad—I'M NOT HELPLESS!"

"Toph. Darling, not now. We have an important guest to entertain and your father—"

"I DON'T CARE! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU EVER SINCE I GOT HERE THAT IF YOU BEETLE-WORM-BRAINED, BRICK-HEADED MORONS EVEN THI—"

_"Toph!_ Oh goodness, you must forgive her, Your Majesty. Ever since she returned to us, Toph has been rather...difficult. But, I'm sure she will improve with time.

...Fire Lord?"

"...you don't know her at all, do you?"

* * *

The trade negotiations were delayed.

Three corridors away from the parlor where the first diplomatic discussion was supposed to take place, servants swarmed around the Fire Lord and his dear daughter in all manner of fuss due to a recently toppled heirloom vase. It wasn't until ten minutes of said fuss had passed that Lao decided to get himself a nice cup of tea if Fire Lord Zuko was going to toss punctuality to the wind. This was how he stumbled upon the scene; of course, he immediately began to fret (rightfully so), asking his daughter repeatedly if she was alright. After that, she turned rather brusque.

"I'm fine."

"You most certainly are not! Look at all the shattered china! Are you hurt? Did you step in it? I'll have Misha carry you to your room and then we'll have a doctor look at it. Misha!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Argh! Dad, I'm _fine!_ Would you get off my case, already?"

"You're just a child, Toph; a child knows nothing of these things—is something wrong, Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Oh! Well, uh...it's just that...I—I—"

"Yes? Yes?"

"She's right. She doesn't have to be protected all the time..."

He would have been offended if not for the sheepish smile. Instead, he was just astounded.

* * *

The Fire Lord's education was rather tiring.

Not that it was hard to provide an adequate instructional area—certainly not. It was simply a bit laborsome to answer His Majesty's resulting questions on why Toph wasn't educated like other girls in things like history and geography. He brushed aside their reasons (how would you educate a blind girl in such things?) and seemed to take it as some kind of indirect challenge.

"I see, could I inquire something to Lady Toph, then?"

"Don't call me that, Sparkles."

"...right. Sorry." Pause. "What if I could make up for that magical, life-changing field trip?"

What?

"How?"

"By fighting you."

_What?_

"What are you talking about?"

Yes, yes. _What was he talking about?_

"It's simple: I fight you with a promise that I won't hold back; if I win, your parents get to do what they want, but if you win, they have to stop treating you like a...uh..."

"Prized tea set? China doll? Little kid? _Prisoner?"_

"Yeah, uh, that."

...

"Zuko, you are _so on."_

* * *

They couldn't talk her out of it.

No matter how much they begged, cajoled, bribed, or threatened, Toph refused to reconsider. So in the end, Lao and Poppy were clinging to each other at the edge of a large, earthen arena on the outskirts of Gaoling, absolutely _terrified_ for their little girl. The Fire Lord was famous for his skill and precision; he'd trained in firebending his whole life! And Toph was, their Toph was...

Blind.

...

"Ow. Ow. Ah! _Ow!"_

"M-my apologies, Your Majesty!"

"Ugh. No, it's okay. It's bound to hurt. Happy now, Toph?"

"Duh."

"So now what?"

"I dunno, you're the Fire Lord. I'm gonna replay that crunching sound from your shoulder being crushed in my head."

"...thanks..."

_"You're welcome."_

* * *

It wasn't long before she was leaving for the Fire Nation.

Officially, Toph was going as an Earth Kingdom ambassador, but her parents had a nagging feeling that she wouldn't be doing much ambassadorial work given what they'd seen. Whatever the case, they were (forced to be by the Fire Lord) more or less accepting of it, and went to see her off at the harbor three towns over.

"Mom, Dad, I'll be okay. Jeez, get off my back, already!"

"Oh, Toph. Oh, darling. Are you—I mean, you need to be careful when you get there, hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"And if you get scared, you know you can always come back home, don't you?"

_"Pffft. _I'm not gonna get scared, Mom."

"Just in case?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Are you sure you won't get cold? We could pack some thicker clothes for you."

"It's the _Fire Nation,_ Mom!"

"Yes, well, oh Toph...I—I—"

"...Mom?"

"Y-you'll visit, won't you? Soon?"

...

"Yeah. Maybe."

* * *

I know, I know, it wasn't funny. But it's hard to make two flat, uptight, supporting characters funny when you're also trying to keep them in character, and I did what I could with what I was given. I wasn't really planning for this to turn into a semi-reconciliation fic, but I firmly believe that Lao and Poppy had good intentions for Toph (even though they're hopelessly naive and ignorant and ended up going about it totally wrong). This is the end result.

Also, I'm sorry if there are any spelling/grammar mistakes here, my sister was watching YouTube videos while I while I was editing so I got distracted. Let me know if you see any.

Reviews are cherished! Every last one. :)


End file.
